Montrose County Opposed to Gray Wolf Reintroduction

Over 200,000 signatures have been submitted to allow the gray wolf to be reintroduced to Colorado, but not everyone is happy with the idea.

What is being proposed is reintroducing the wolf to "designated lands" west of the Continental Divide starting in 2023. They are also working on ways to handle public input as well as decide on compensation for those who own livestock.

While there were Western Slope residents who signed the document, how many is a mystery, but the people out gaining signatures were canvassing the Western Slope in summer 2019. According to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund, there had to be at least 10,000 signatures just from this area alone.

Montrose County, however, is not that excited about the idea. Montrose County Commissioners voted in March to oppose the reintroduction of the gray wolf to the state, claiming the danger to livestock as well as outdoor enthusiasts is too much to deal with when you have an apex predator roaming about.

Montrose County Commissioner Roger Rash said:

“We’re to the point where we’re too populated for that and there are probably better places. Common sense is we don’t want these types of predators in our backcountry right now,”

Those in favor of the wolf returning state it's not just a front range issue, but that the Western Slope wants it as well.

But Montrose County is surely not one of those.